Active clinical trials for "Cognitive Dysfunction"

The research program explores how aging influences brain function in test-persons from a Danish birth cohort of men born in 1953.

The investigators aim to use the new PET radioligand, 18F-MK-6240, to detect tau pathology in cognitive healthy and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) elders. The investigators will then examine the interactions between differential tau burden and performance on cognitive tasks, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neural activation patterns, and other cognitive and behavioral measures. By investigating these relationships, the investigators hope to understand the cognitive and behavioral outcomes of tau deposition found in specific brain regions in cognitively normal/mildly cognitively impaired adults. Furthermore, the study aims to examine how the presence of tau may contribute to the risk of subsequent cognitive decline, neurodegeneration, and dementia.

This is a prospective observational follow-up study of children enrolled in a single center randomized controlled trial (REDvent). Nearly 50% of adult Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) survivors are left with significant abnormalities in pulmonary, physical, neurocognitive function and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) which may persist for years.Data in pediatric ARDS (PARDS) survivors is limited. More importantly, there are no data identifying potentially modifiable factors during ICU care which are associated with long term impairments, which may include medication choices, or complications from mechanical ventilator (MV) management in the ICU including ventilator induced lung injury (VILI) or ventilator induced diaphragm dysfunction (VIDD). The Real-time effort driven ventilator (REDvent) trial is testing a ventialtor management algorithm which may prevent VIDD and VILI. VIDD and VILI have strong biologic plausibility to affect the post-ICU health of children with likely sustained effects on lung repair and muscle strength. Moreover, common medication choices (i.e. neuromuscular blockade, corticosteroids) or other complications in the ICU (i.e. delirium) are likely to have independent effects on the long term health of these children. This proposed study will obtain serial follow-up of subjects enrolled in REDvent (intervention and control patients). The central hypothesis is that preventing VIDD, VILI and shortening time on MV will have a measureable impact on longer term function by mitigating abnormalities in pulmonary function (PFTs), neurocognitive function and emotional health, functional status and HRQL after hospital discharge for children with PARDS. For all domains, the investigators will determine the frequency, severity and trajectory of recovery of abnormalities amongst PARDS survivors after ICU discharge, identify risk factors for their development, and determine if they are prevented by REDvent. They will leverage the detailed and study specific respiratory physiology data being obtained in REDvent, and use a variety of multi-variable models for comprehensive analysis. Completion of this study will enable the investigators to identify ICU related therapies associated with poor long term outcome, and determine whether they can be mitigated by REDvent.

Electrical activity in the brain known as "gamma" brainwaves help connect and process information throughout the brain. These gamma waves are diminished in Alzheimer's disease. New research in Alzheimer's disease mouse models shows that exposure to light flickering at the rate of 40 flashes per second or 40Hz increased gamma brainwaves and led to clearing of beta amyloid plaques in the brain, a key abnormality in Alzheimer's disease. This project will test the ability of a novel iPad App (AlzLife https://www.alz.life/) that delivers light therapy at 40 Hz combined with cognitive therapy to improve cognition, function, and quality of life in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Vascular dementia (VaD) have become common diseases in the elderly. The burden of dementia is rising in China, with major medical, social and economic impacts. To address this important public health problem, cohort study on elderly cognitive disorders should be carry out. The methods of early prevention, early diagnosis and early treatment the cognitive disorders in elderly should be found to reduce the burden of the social and economic issue due to dementia. At present, the international corresponding guidelines have taken gene and brain imaging biomarkers as important indicators of dementia pathogenesis research, accurate diagnosis and targeted intervention. Based on the above understanding, the study carry out the population cohort study based on accurate diagnosis and construct the high standard information and sample bank. The study will establish the standard and quality system of geriatric cognitive disorders cohort study (unified standards and norms). The study will integrate the standard biological samples stratified acquisition function module (homogeneity and precision) of elderly cognitive disorders, and complete the construction of biological samples bank and clinical diagnosis and treatment information database. The study will apply and develop brain structural and pathological imaging technology to support precision diagnosis of senile cognitive disorders. The study will evaluate whether peripheral nerve degeneration can predict central nervous system degeneration based on the large cohort of elderly study. In addition, The study will make an effective supplement the sample bank construction of Shanghai Mental Health Center.

This is a pilot study of non-invasive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to improve memory in healthy adults. It will also examine treating memory deficits in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), a condition that frequently precedes Alzheimer's disease (AD. The study will test whether a form of non-invasive brain stimulation repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can improve memory abilities in healthy young adults, healthy older adults, and older adults with aMCI by retuning memory-related brain networks. This study is a key first step which will support the long-term goal of treating memory deficits in neurological patients. It is expected that rTMS will improve memory abilities in all participants, and that the improvements in memory will be attributable to changes in the connectivity of memory-related brain networks.

The Atlas of Retinal Imaging in Alzheimer's (ARIAS) study is a 5-year study examining the natural history of retinal imaging biomarkers associated with disease risk, disease burden, and disease progression in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objective of this project is to create a 'gold standard' reference database of structural anatomic and functional imaging of the retina, in order to enable the identification and development of both sensitive and reliable markers of AD risk and/or progression. Our ultimate goal is to develop a new screening protocol that identifies changes related to AD 10-20 years before AD is clinically visible.

This is a pilot randomized controlled clinical trial is designed to investigate whether the Multicultural Healthy Diet (MHD), an anti-Inflammatory diet tailored to a multi-cultural population, can improve cognitive functioning in a middle aged (40-65 yr) urban population in Bronx, New York compared to a usual diet.

This study will adopt a newly developed computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program targeting the encoding stage of memory. The aims of the study are: To test the feasibility of conducting a newly developed computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program for healthy older adults, people with MCI and mild dementia. To test the effectiveness of the newly developed program in improving cognitive function and enabling maintenance of occupational performance in healthy older adults, people with MCI or mild dementia. Using an iPad application, study participants will learn a memory encoding strategy to support completion of their daily activities. By implementing memory encoding strategies during the mild stages of cognitive decline, the project aims to prolong independence in functional performance. It is anticipated that adoption of the same memory strategies will enable maintain performance as they may experience ongoing cognitive decline.

Anesthesia is a drug induced, reversible, comatose state that facilitates surgery and it is widely assumed that cognition returns to baseline after anesthetics have been eliminated. However, many patients have persistent memory impairment for weeks to months after surgery. Cardiac surgery appears to carry the highest risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). These cognitive deficits are associated with increased mortality, prolonged hospital stay and loss of independence. The investigators propose to investigate the role of Dexmedetomidine (DEX) in preventing long-term POCD after cardiac surgery and enhancing early postoperative recovery. It is anticipated that DEX will be the first effective preventative therapy for POCD, improve patient outcomes, and reduce length of stay and healthcare costs.